Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Whangarei Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Whangarei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $1,693 in Whangarei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $2,627 in Whangarei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $3,561 in Whangarei.

Living in Calgary is roughly 45% more expensive than in Whangarei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Whangarei 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.86

$21.27 NZ$36.50

-13.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.6

$85.1 NZ$146

-17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.44

$10.43 NZ$17.90

4.99%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.27

$4.00 NZ$6.87

-6.50%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CA$2.88

$2.15 NZ$3.69

-5.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$1.70 NZ$2.91

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.34

$6.41 NZ$11.00

-18.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.47

$8.20 NZ$14.07

-18.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.17

$1.95 NZ$3.35

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.19 NZ$3.76

25.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.56

$1.99 NZ$3.41

62.31%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.86

$6.62 NZ$11.36

-47.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.31

$9.81 NZ$16.84

46.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.18

$10.71 NZ$18.38

20.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.37

$16.50 NZ$28.32

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.06

$3.03 NZ$5.20

41.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$2.40 NZ$4.11

-44.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.43

$3.02 NZ$5.18

27.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$6.00

$4.48 NZ$7.68

-5.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$2.54 NZ$4.36

0.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.70

$1.96 NZ$3.37

33.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.95

$2.44 NZ$4.19

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.75

$1.11 NZ$1.91

75.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.11

$24.06 NZ$41.29

-37.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.61

$9.66 NZ$16.57

43.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.12

$2.37 NZ$4.07

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$2.88 NZ$4.94

35.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$1.78 NZ$3.05

53.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$140 NZ$240

-37.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.08

$3.82 NZ$6.56

-5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.61 NZ$2.76

-19.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.49

$14.60 NZ$25.06

96.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.66 NZ$2.85

-32.53%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.5K CA$35.9K

$45.5K NZ$78.0K

-43.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.7K CA$30.7K

$22.1K NZ$38.0K

-1.69%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$213 CA$300

$135 NZ$232

57.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$40.96 CA$57.8

$39.36 NZ$67.5

4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.7

$53.6 NZ$91.9

8.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.4

$37.35 NZ$64.1

45.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.8

$3.07 NZ$5.27

1650.81%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.82

$10.96 NZ$18.82

15.24%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$874 CA$1,233

$775 NZ$1,331

12.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$12.3K NZ$21.1K

29.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.7

$66.9 NZ$115

-12.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.3

$34.30 NZ$58.9

37.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$83.2 NZ$143

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$152

$102 NZ$175

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,947

$545 NZ$935

153.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,635

$471 NZ$808

146.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,278

$1,006 NZ$1,727

130.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,686

$769 NZ$1,320

147.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,340

$4,338 NZ$7,445

-12.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,952

$3,391 NZ$5,819

3.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,146

$2,474 NZ$4,245

18.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

6.7

-14.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Whangarei: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $545 in Whangarei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $85.0 in Whangarei. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $344, with Whangarei cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Calgary vs Whangarei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whangarei is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,380 in Calgary versus $545 in Whangarei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Whangarei – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $1,693 in Whangarei – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,693 in Whangarei versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Whangarei but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Whangarei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Whangarei are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Whangarei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.